Outerfield

You really cannot go wrong when you look back to the glorious heyday of 90’s alternative rock as an inspiration. From the trend-setting aesthetics and the anti-star mentality to the unabashed, in your face intent to rock you to your very core, the last great era of music serves as a rich launch pan in which bands can look for guidance and inspiration. One such band working today is rocking hard with the vibe and attack of this bygone musical era and making a huge impact in the process. The band- is Outerfield. And their potential is out(er) of this world.

On Friday, Outerfield released their latest album, Pleasant Grove Hotel. Consisting of eleven non-stop tracks of alternative rock and roll mastery, Pleasant Grove Hotel comes at a time when the music world is in desperate need of a hero. Smooth vocal lines carry you through musical tales while straight up, ass kicking instrumentation consistently reinforces Outerfield’s great knack for pushing the envelope.

“Dust”, the first single from Pleasant Grove Hotel haunts with its layered vocal attack and garage-rock infused approach set the stage for this killer album. Beatles-esque vocal harmonies along with a hefty serving of seductive lead guitar lines keep the song driving while the simplistic yet fantastic drumming serve as a highlight. “Dust” really makes an impact upon first listen but repeated listens allow it to sink deeper and deeper into your mind; adding more meaning and layers to this great song.

Throughout the rest of Pleasant Grove Hotel, “Stay the Same”, “After the Party”, “Vending Machine” and “You Weren’t Done Yet” all have huge appeal both for their ability to stand as singles as well as their fantastic arrangements and executions. With “You Weren’t Done Yet” as the song of the album.

Outerfield set a high bar for themselves with Pleasant Grove Hotel. It’s the kind of rock album that you can play over and over and never tire of. Similar to the best work of The Black Keys and the Strokes, repeated listens just bring more meaning and pleasure. If you are starved for some great straight up rock music in 2019, immediately check out Outerfield! - Alternative Nation

Last month, we wrote about Outerfield’s “Dust”, the lead single from their latest album, Pleasant Grove Hotel. With influences from grunge rockers of the 90s to the alt-country inspired powerpop of Wilco, Outerfield has their own unique sound. While “Dust” is a great way to be introduced to Outerfield, a dive into the full length album gives you a full experience.

As noted above, fans of bands like Wilco or Uncle Tupelo will find a lot to love here. With a distinctive flair that rivals the like of The Dandy Warhols, the album opens with “Wondering if You’re Real”, a slower rock track that oozes charisma and features an Alice in Chains like vocal harmony in the bridge. Tracks like “I Don’t Know Why” lean into the the poppier side of that grunge era, while tracks like “Getting It Right” almost harken to a Beatles-esque sound that wouldn’t feel out of place on the while album or even a Ryan Adams record.

There’s a unique blending of pop, grunge, classic rock, modern alternative, alt-country, and more throughout the entire record. Check out the album below, directly on Spotify, or on your favorite streaming service/retail site today. - The Farsighted

After several months of many songs sitting in limbo, Matt Hutson and Gary Schrader of indie/noise rockers Outerfield began to pick up the pieces of what almost became a wasted effort of a righteous piece of music.

However, Outerfield was able to pull everything together and produce an 11-track album entitled Pleasant Grove Hotel, a record that is deeply personal, with topics ranging from loneliness to childhood traumas and family disputes. The band is now poised to bring their brand of roots/noise rock to the masses.

“The album is about the space it takes to put your life back together after everything has fallen apart,” the duo said in a press release. “Not unlike the experience of making the record, which was shelved for four months and expected to never come out.”

The lead single, Dust, is a testament to Outerfield’s hard driving rock and roll sound, liken it to bands such as Wilco and Big Star. But the Columbus, Indiana, duo has undeniably carved out a sound of its own in the rock space.

Voices and I Don’t Why are tracks that blend Outerfield’s alternative rock sound with classic rock undertones, bringing the group Foster the People to mind.

I love the steady pounding of the drums mixed in with cool, strong guitar riffs, which is best displayed in Stay the Same.

In my opinion, Pleasant Grove Hotel is the type of album that you’ll enjoy even more after listening to it over and over again. - NY/NJ Entertainments